Aromatherapy

Archive for September, 2008

One of the reasons doctors of traditional medicine don’t want to deal with aromatherapy is that each person has differing reactions to the same oil. It’s hard to recommend anything that can cause side effects on who knows how many of your patients, especially if they are pregnant. But, when you are pregnant, traditional medicines can often bee too harsh for the growing baby? Can you use something more organic, like peppermint essential oil for pregnancy?

If In Doubt, Leave It Out

Depending on what aromatherapist you talk to or what aromatherapy book you read, peppermint oil is either a blessing or bane for pregnant women. Some say it is only safe for the first trimester, some for the first two trimesters. Some pregnant women say they were greatly comforted by peppermint oil and nothing bad happened to them or their babies. How to decide?

If you’ve never used it before, do not use peppermint essential oil for pregnancy aches and pains. If you’ve used peppermint essential oil before for other reasons and have never felt any ill effects, you can try using it, but not put it on your skin after the second trimester. Peppermint essential oil can cause sometimes cause contractions. This is why it can be frowned upon. If you’re still not sure, just avoid use at all.

Morning Has Broken Over The Toilet Bowl

The main way women have been helped by peppermint essential oil is just sniffing the oil on a tissue or handkerchief when they are nauseated. Ever have peppermint tea or some kind of mint after a big dinner? The peppermint relaxes the digestive muscles and makes you feel not so sick or full. Sniffing peppermint oil for pregnancy can be a safe cure for those women affected by motion sickness. Keep in mind that some doctors think sniffing peppermint essential oil for pregnancy symptoms can cause contractions.

Another mostly safe use of peppermint essential oil for pregnancy is burning it alone or in combination with other favorite oils to produce a tranquil, happy scent in your home. Stress for the pregnant mother is thought to hurt the developing baby, so when you can, relax. If you decide to use peppermint essential oil in the bath, even a foot bath, use ONE drop only.

Choosing Your Oil

You can help make using peppermint essential oil for pregnancy safer by choosing a therapeutic or medicinal grade essential oil in a dark bottle. The Latin name on the label should be Mentha piperita. Also, the smell of peppermint should trigger happy and calm feelings to help you distress during pregnancy.

Aromatherapy as a practice dates back to the ancient Egyptians and has experienced a resurgence in the west in recent years. The science behind aromatherapy is known as psychoneuroimmunology which studies the interactions between the psychological, neurological and immune systems. Research has shown that there is a very strong correlation between positive and negative experiences and our immune system as well as our psyche. This premise is recognized by the fields of science and medicine giving credence to the old adage mind over body.

Aromatherapy utilizes the strongest of our senses which is the sense of smell. The sense of smell is unique because it has a direct path to our brain and more importantly it has a direct path to our limbic system. Through this direct portal aromas are able to directly affect conscious thought and reactions as the limbic system is responsible for our memories (turning short term to long term), learned responses, emotions and feelings.

The use of aromatherapy oils to promote relaxation has become very popular by the mainstream population. For this purpose essential oils can be applied in several different ways including baths, diffusers, direct inhalation, or through a massage to name just a few. How you choose to use your aromatherapy oils is a personal preference as long as enjoy the process.

The number of different essential oils on the market is vast leaving the decision of which one to try somewhat daunting. It should be noted that each essential oil has many specific therapeutic applications and many of these are similar with other oils, which allows you to choose an oil that will give you the desired benefits as well as an aroma you enjoy. For instance their are several oils that are known for there powers to relax, so the choice becomes a personal one.

1. Ylang ylang is known for its strong, sweet exotic scent and is extracted by steam or water distillation for the fresh flowers of the tropical tree Canago odorata better known as the Ylang ylang tree.

2. Neroli has a very feminine sweet floral smell and is extracted by enfleurage or steam distillation from the orange blossom petals of the orange tree Citrus auratium. Neroli essential oil is generally sold in a cut form (with another oil) and is one of the more expensive oils on the market.

3. Jasmine is another oil that can be described as having an exotic, sweet floral scent. Jasmine essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the plant Jasminum officinale.

4. Lavender is one of the most versatile essential oils as its benefits and applications are vast. This lightly floral scented oil is extracted by steam distillation from the plant Lavandula augustifolia.

5. Sandalwood is has a sensual musky or woody scent and has been used for thousands of years. This essential oil is extracted by steam or water distillation from the heartwood (nonliving central wood)
and roots of the tree Santalum album.  

This is by no means a complete list of the aromatherapy oils that can be utilized for the purpose of relaxation, it is instead a sample of the vast number to choose from. When choosing an aromatherapy oil try to find one that you can use for several desired benefits and more importantly find one that you find pleasing to smell. If you do not like or enjoy the scent of your oil chances are it will not give you the results you are looking for.

A friend of mine called Charlene, who runs an aromatherapy course in Lincoln, Nebraska, told me a story about a young man who had just joined the course and was raring to go because he had read so much about aromatherapy. It was Charlene’s practice to light an aromatherapy candle at the beginning of every session and ask the participants what the fragrance reminded them of. As it happened, she was using a lavender candle and asked the young man what he could smell. He took a deep breath, and with a look of great disappointment on his face, said, “Room freshener!”

“I never found out what he was expecting,” Charlene later told me. With apologies for this initial digression, I think the young man got it at least partially right. Aromatherapy candles are a room freshener par excellence, because they keep a room smelling exquisite for hours together. However, what makes them even better is that they have therapeutic effects on the mind and body.

Why is that? Well, aromatherapy candles are made of wax laced with essential oils from certain aromatic plants, so that as the wax melts, the molecules of the plant extract are diffused into the environment, thus creating a heavenly fragrance.

So which are the plants from which aromatherapy candles draw their fragrances? The answer is not exactly straightforward, since any or more than one part of a particular plant may be the source of the fragrance. But that minor complication apart, lavender is the most popular oil when it comes to aromatherapy candles. That does not mean you don’t have a wide enough choice, given the speed with which the popularity of aromatherapy is increasing.

According to aromatherapy practitioners like Charlene, there are candles to suit all moods. So if you are suffering from insomnia, light sage, chamomile, and ylang ylang candles next to your bath. Those suffering from depression should try rosemary and grapefruit aromatherapy candles, while all-purpose aromatherapy candles contain extracts of sandalwood, eucalyptus, geranium, peppermint, and many other plants. However, you may very well find that reactions vary from person to person, so it is best not to generalize if you are using a candle for therapy. Consult an expert first.

In addition to aromas, these candles are also available in a vast array of shapes and sizes. So you can go for a floating, pillar, gel, votive or jar candle. In addition, if you feel up to it, you can prepare a personalized aromatherapy candle at home by mixing and matching several aromas. To get you started, try a blend of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. An alternative could be a refreshing and stimulating mix of peppermint, lemon, and rosemary. Don’t forget to write in with the results!

Aromatherapy massage is the type of massage, which takes in the whole aspect of a person, not just one level. Aromatherapy looks at the mind, body and spirit of a person, and also their natural well-being how they live their day to day lives, what food they eat, and how much time they take to relax! Incorporating how much stress is in their lives due to work, children and social commitments, whether they have large financial burdens, and if they have recently suffered a bereavement, birth or just moved house, if they have a disability, have had disease or are suffering from one, or are in general rundown, these aspects are all looked at, before treatment starts.

Aromatherapy massage is a mixture of using massaging techniques, along side the procedure of selecting a composition of essential oils, which have been specifically picked for the person being treated. Aromatherapy is a unique treatment procedure, because of this unique fact, the combination of the selected oils that have been chosen, will never follow a ridged pattern. The essence of Aromatherapy is, that it is tailored to suit any person seeking help – it is not a production line, every single one of the people treated remain an individual, with personal needs.

Aromatherapy will try to get to the root of the problem, and in this day and age, with the wide -ranging selection of oils to choose from, there is an inexhaustible supply in which to use to treat a certain condition or ailment.

Aromatherapy essential oils are created by using the many different parts of a plant, flower, tree or even fruit, by extracting their natural aroma and using the oil extracted for a particular illness, whether it be physical or emotional, or mental, the oil is used to rebalance the client. Oftentimes one particular plant will have different parts used, for different ailments. Take for example, eucalyptus essential oil helps to heal all kinds of physical ailments, these are as follows, the most common are respiratory problems,such as bronchitis,coughs

The use of aromatherapy incorporated within life, has been around for a very long time in fact its been around for many hundreds of years, but it is virtually new to the modern world. As it is still occasionally regarded with mistrust and scepticism, it is only in recent years with the help of training facilities, and the fact conventional medicine is starting to come around to the idea that the use of essential oils are occasionally of more benefit to a individual, than the use of proscription medicinal aids, that aromatherapy is becoming more mainstream.

Aromatherapy essential oils do not have to be used incorporated within a massage, they can also be used at home, in a hot bath, or a oil burner, used as an air freshener, or mixed with a carrier oil, such as almond, to rub on the body and because of these uses, aromatherapy is becoming more widespread, and is continuing to advance as a fundamentally accepted part of society and the way in which individuals live on a day to day basis. People no longer think twice about going and getting a stress relieving aromatherapy massage, in there lunch break, in fact, many companies are encouraging them to do just that!

So in conclusion aromatherapy as many benefits and uses in today’s stressful environment and can be used in a positive way to treat many ailments, stress at work and in the home, but can also be enjoyed in a hot bath or just to make the home smell nicer. So why not give it a try, have a massage or buy some essential oil from your local health store.

The name “patchouli” (“patch” meaning leaf and “ilia” meaning green) has its origins in India where the patchouli plant, which is known as the “puchaput,” has been used for ages in Malaysia, China, India and Japan. Patchouli leaves have a deep reddish-brown color. These leaves are then fermented and dried before steam distillation occurs. This creates a thick oil.

The Discovery Of Patchouli Essential Oil For Cellulite

Patchouli was discovered by the British in the 1820s. At this time, Indian cashmere shawls were very popular and thus they were in high demand. These shawls were shipped from India with dried patchouli leaves placed in between the folds of these shawls. This was done in order to protect the shawls from moths. In India, Patchouli leaves were also placed in between bed sheets in order to keep bedbugs away. So, as you can see, the smell that Patchouli leaves emit is quite strong. This actually caused the British some problems whenever British manufacturers tried to start selling locally made shawls because these shawls did not smell like the Indian shawls. As such, the British were forced to scent the shawls with Patchouli in order to be able to sell them.

What Patchouli Essential Oil For Cellulite Smells Like

Patchouli essential oil for cellulite has a warm hypnotic smell and offers remarkable results. In fact, it has been said that this is one of the most relaxing and earthy smelling aromatic oils. So, whenever you decide to inhale Patchouli essential oil for cellulite you should make sure to use it sparingly because it can make you feel breathless and overstimulate your senses.

The Other Uses Of Patchouli Essential Oil For Cellulite

Patchouli essential oil for cellulite makes an tonic for use in skin care. The regulating properties in Patchouli essential oil for cellulite tone and strengthen the tissue that is in skin cells. It can also be used to regulate oily and combination skin. Patchouli essential oil for cellulite is similar to Sandalwood in that it will rejuvenate chapped, cracked, mature and sensitive skin. The antiseptic properties in Patchouli are useful in controlling the outbreak of acne. For all of these reasons, Patchouli is used in many synergistic skin formulas, especially those that are promoted for the care or treatment of celluliet.

The Proper Use Of Patchouli Essential Oil For Cellulite

As aforementioned, whenever you are using Patchouli you need to use care because a little really does go a long way. Furthermore, Patchouli is actually a mild sedative and it also has aphrodisiac properties. When using Patchouli essential oil for cellulite you should use it with Pink Grapefruit.